Not One, But Two! How NOT To Freak Out When You’re Having TwinsDo you need two of everything?

Jody Allen Founder/Chief Content Editor
Jody is the founder and essence of Stay at Home Mum. An insatiable appetite for reading from a very young age had Jody harbouring dreams of being a published author since primary school. That deep seeded need to write found its way to the public eye in 2011 with the launch of SAHM. Fast forward 4 years and a few thousand articles Jody has fulfilled her dream of being published in print. With the 2014 launch of Once a Month Cooking and 2015’s Live Well on Less, thanks to Penguin Random House, Jody shows no signs of slowing down. The master of true native content, Jody lives and experiences first hand every word of advertorial she pens.
Mum to two magnificent boys and wife to her beloved Brendan; Jody’s voice is a sure fire winner when you need to talk to Mums.

You’ve just received the news.

The ultrasound is showing two little blobs with two beating hearts. Not one. Two. You are about to become a proud mother to twins. Yikes!

Twins means double of everything; a bigger car and a MASSIVE drain on your finances. But before you rush off to beg, borrow and steal, sit down and take some deep calming breaths. Twins don’t have to send you bankrupt.

Do you really need to upgrade your car?

It may seem impossible to fit two car seats, a twin pram and all the random but totally necessary baby gear into your small car but you’d be surprised. It may be a tad squishy but it can be done. Head down to your local baby shop and test out their prams and car seats. Check to see how they fit in your car. You may need to spend a little bit more money on the pram or car seats but it’ll still be a lot cheaper than getting a new car. Try a baby shop so you can actually go in and try the product in your car to make sure it fits.

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Do you really need brand new?

Brand new is nice but not necessary or practical when you’re watching your pennies. Babies only use their stuff for such a short period of time so it’s really easy to find quality second-hand goods. Accept hand-me-downs from friends and family, become an op-shopper and regularly check out eBay and Gumtree for bargains. Chances are you will receive more than enough brand new baby gear as gifts when the bubs arrive, so save the money where you can.

Even if you know the sex of your babies, try and keep little clothing in neutral colours – white, lemon, lime, purple or red. This makes them not only easier to on-sell later on, but you might decide to have more babies later on!

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Do you really need two of everything?

There are some things that you will need two of. You will need two cots with mattresses (you may get away with just one while they’re itty bitty), two high chairs or bouncers, two car seats (birth to 18kgs) and well, that’s about it for the big stuff. Everything else should be fine with just the one. One nursery, one bath, one change table and one chest of drawers. You don’t need to double up on toys, play mats, and jumpers. Set up a little exercise circuit and switch them when they become bored. Anything else is nice to have and if your budget can fit it in, then go for it.

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Ask for a double discount

When you are buying any items x 2 (especially if it’s a big shop), make sure you mention to the sales person that you’re having twins. A lot of companies offer discounts, or will if you ask. Don’t be shy. The worst they can say is no and remember to shop around!

Nappy companies especially are great at providing discounts for parents expecting twins. Give Huggies a call!

Ask for What You Need At Your Baby Shower

Let people know what you need. List the boring stuff – nappies, wipes and toiletries. It may not be as cute as that itty bitty onesie but people will appreciate that they’re getting you a gift you will use and you’ll appreciate the money you’ve saved. If family and close friends are intending to buy you a gift, see if you can arrange for them to put in for one of your major purchases. Baby showers were traditionally meant to help a new mother out so let people help.